The invention in this case related to a new and improved method of etching indium tin oxide films.
Indium tin oxide (In203:Sn) hereinafter termed ITO is particularly adapted, when used in thin film form, for use as transparent electrode for display devices in particular optoelectric devices such as liquid crystal displays, electroluminescent devices, and image sensors. Further electrodes formed of patterned thin film ITO are also particularly adapted for use on various semiconductor devices.
ITO electrodes are commonly formed by depositing a thin film of ITO on a desired substrate, providing a patterned photoresist layer on thin film ITO, etching the ITO film through the photoresist layer with an etchant that etches the ITO film at a significantly faster rate than the photoresist layer and the substrate.
In the past, frequently wet etching of ITO films with solutions of HI, HCl, oxalic acid and mixtures of HCl and HN03 have been carried out. However, these wet etching methods have not proved to be successful. Since wet etching is carried out by a reaction which proceeds isotropically, overetching of the patterned photoresist layer frequently occurs resulting in poorly defined and incomplete etch patterns of the ITO films.
Mohri et al Japanese Journal of Applied Physics Vol. 29, No. 10, October 1990, pp L1932-L1935 teaches the etching of ITO thin films with a plasma etching using a CH4/H2 gas mixture. While etching with such a plasma results in the production of fine ITO patterns it has the defect in that some polymerization of the CH.sub.4 occurs resulting in contamination of the resultant ITO pattern.
Kuo et al Proceedings Electrochemical Society 1990 90 (14 pp. 765-772) shows reactive ion etching with fluorochlorocarbon gases such as CF.sub.3 C1 or CF.sub.2 C1.sub.2. While such a method also results in the formation of finely etched ITO patterns it also has the defect of contamination due to polymerization of the fluorochlorocarbon gases. In addition these gases are considered to be harmful to the environment, their use is being severely restricted and may be entirely banned in the near future.
Calahorra et al J. Electrochem. Soc., Vol. 136, No. 6, June 1989 pp 1839-1840 shows reactive ion etching of ITO films with HI gas. Such a method results in the production of finely etched ITO patterns. However HI gas is dangerous to use since HI gas is unstable tending to form the explosive H2.
Ghezzo U.S. Pat. No. 3,979,240 shows etching of ITO films with a concentrated solution of HBr. While this method shows improved ITO patterns as compared with other wet etching methods, the etching still procedes isotropically resulting in patterns that are insufficiently fine and homogeneous for many purposes.
Rossi et al U.S. Pat. No. 4,878,993 shows sputter etching of ITO films with a plasma consisting of dissociated argon.